Liquid spray dispensing apparatus



Oct. 24, 1967 H. H. HALTZMAN ET AL 3,348,735

LIQUID SPRAY DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed March 16, 1966 4 SheetsSheet 1 M." Q {MIMI INVENTORS HARRY H. HALTZMAN THEODORE M. WR/GHT GEORGE S. DIMM/CK Affo rn y Oct. 24, 1967 H. H. HALTZMAN ETAL 3,348,735 A LIQUID SPRAY DISPENSING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-5heet 2 Filed March 16, 1966 S R O T I T N H N A G M E M m I V Z W M y l 1 N T M e 7 I 1| 1 L I A M D m H W S m n nnuunuunnnn l H O E llllllll lllll ll V! D G m m m A H E u H T G Rig. 2

06L 1967 H. H. HALTZMAN ETAL 3,34

LIQUID SPRAY DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed March 16, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet I5 INVENTORS' HARRY H. HALTZMAN THEODORE M WRIGHT GEORGE $4 D/MM/CK afforne y United States Patent 3,348,735 LIQUID SPRAY DISPENSING APPARATUS Harry H. Haltzman, 324 Greenleigh Court, Cherry Hill,

NJ. 08034, Theodore M. Wright, Camden, N.J., and

George S. Dimmick, Philadelphia, Pa.; said Wright and said Dimmick assignors to said Haltzman Filed Mar. 16, 1966, Ser. No. 534,705 20 Claims. (Cl. 222-2) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLGSURE Coin controlled apparatus for dispensing discrete, metered quantities of atomized liquid from a cabinet housed aerosol container having a normally closed nozzle includes a normally closed spray head externally of the cabinet coupled to the container nozzle by a flexible hose passing through a wall of the cabinet. In response to a deposited coin, manually actuable control mechanism can be actuated to eifect opening of the container nozzle for discharging, for temporary storage in the hose under pressure, a quantity of the atomized liquid as determined by metering means also rendered operative upon actuation of the control mechanism. When the spray head nozzle is subsequently opened, the liquid stored in the hose is discharged to the ambient. Two aerosol containers can be placed in the cabinet concurrently, one to be an active container and the other a standby container to which the container nozzle opening mechanism is automatically shifted from the first container after a predetermined number of liquid charges has been withdrawn from the first container.

This invention relates to liquid spray dispensing apparatus, and particularly to coin controlled, manually operable apparatus for emitting discrete, metered charges of atomized liquid sprays.

It is well known that various hair treating liquids are available on the market for keeping the hair in place after combing so as to present a well groomed appearance. Many such liquids are marketed in aerosol containers for application to the hair in the form of an atomized spray.

It is also well known that when one is exposed to heavy wind without headcovering, as when riding in an automobile with open windows, or in a speedboat, for example, ones hair usually becomes dishevelled and untidy from the wind. This is particularly annoying to women, who are especially sensitive to neat appearance. In ones home, it is a simple matter to keep on hand one or more aerosol hair spray containers for use as needed. However, when one is on a trip, for example, it is rather a nuisance to have to carry along such a container, which is usually quite bulky, in a manner to be readily accessible.

The primary object of this invention is to provide improved liquid spray apparatus which can be installed easily in rest rooms at restaurants, hotels, motels, service stations, snack bars, etc. and which makes use of aerosol containers forsupplying a quantity of liquid spray on demand.

More particularly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved, coin-controlled liquid spray apparatus for discharging discrete, metered quantities of atomized liquid spray from an aerosol container and temporarily storing a charge of such spray in readiness for further discharge through a manually operable dispensing head as desired.

Another object of this invention is to provide, in apparatus as aforesaid, an improved metering mechanism by means of which only a given quantity of the liquid material will be released at any one time from the liquid storage container for transfer to the temporary storage means.

Still another object of this invention is to provide, in apparatus as above set forth, a readily movable, manually manipulative and operable spray dispensing head remote from the aerosol liquid supply container, and flexible storage means coupling the container and the dispensing head for receiving and temporarily storing, under pressure, a charge of spray released from the container until the charge is released fully by operation of the dispensing head, the storage coupling means being such as to permit a wide and varied range of movement of the dispensing head relative to the aerosol container and to the body of the user so as to enable the user to cover all parts of the users head.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved liquid spray apparatus in which there can be stored not only an active aerosol liquid container, 'but also a similar, reserve or stand-by container to which the liquid releasing mechanism of the apparatus can be switched automatically after a given number of charges have been released from the former so that a supply of liquid will be available over an extended period of time and well before servicing of the apparatus to replace both containers becomes necessary, thus insuring a continuous supply of the liquid to the dispensing head at all times.

It is also an object of this invention to provide improved spraying apparatus as aforesaid which is relatively simple in construction, easy to install and to operate, economical in cost, and highly eflicient in use.

In accordance with one form of the invention, there is provided a cabinet or housing in which are mounted at least one aerosol container having therein a liquid to be sprayed, and operating mechanism for eliecting the release from the container of a quantity of metered liquid in response to manual operation of a rotary, coin controlled device at the front of the cabinet after an appropriate coin has been deposited therein. The operating mechanism includes a normally stationary, vertically disposed, rotary disk having adjacent its lower edge a ball cage in which a ball is normally disposed. The coin device has an arm which is coupled to the rotary disk. When the coin device is rotated, its arm causes the aforementioned disk to rotate and thus carry the cage and its ball to an elevated position at which the ball is discharged onto an inclined track leading back to the lower, normal, rest position of the cage.

A pivotally mounted control lever is coupled to the aerosol container nozzle or outlet valve mechanism for actuating the same. Just after the ball is discharged onto the track, the advancing ball cage causes this control lever to be raised to effect operation of the aerosol container nozzle valve for releasing from the container a quantity of liquid therein under pressure of the gas within it, as is well understood in the art. The amount of liquid that is discharged from the container is determined by the time the control lever remains raised.

When the control lever is first raised to open the container nozzle valve, it is latched in the raised position by a spring biased latch. This latch can be restored to unlatching position against the bias of its spring by a lever normally held out of engagement with the latch by a second spring and having a part normally disposed in the return path of the ball. As the ball approaches the ball cage for restoration therein, the cage having meanwhile been returned to its rest position, the ball engages the aforesaid part to tilt its lever and bring the latter into engagement with the latch to restore it to the unlatching position. Thus, the control lever becomes free to return to its normal, lower position, and the nozzle valve closes. The time interval during which the ball travels along its track can be set by making the track 3 path as long as desired. This, then, determines the metered quantity of liquid that is released from the aerosol container.

Removably mounted on a bracket on one side of the cabinet exteriorly thereof is a manually operable spray dispensing head having a valve controlled nozzle (similar to thoseof aerosol containers) through which the hair treating liquid is finally expelled in atomized form. The dispensing head is coupled to the output of the aerosol container within the cabinet through a flexible tube which passesthrough the aforementioned side of the cabinet. When a metered charge of liquid spray is released from the aerosol supply container as above described, it becomes stored temporarily, under pressure, in theflexible tube so long as the nozzle of the dispensing head remains closed. When this nozzle is thereafter opened manually, the charge of liquid stored in the flexible tube is released and discharged or expelled from the dispensing head nozzle. The flexible tube is of such length that, when the dispensing head is removed from its mounting bracket, a wide and varied range of movement of the dispensing head is possible relative to the cabinet and to a users body so that the user can readily apply the spray to the hair from any desired direction and at any desired angle.

In another embodiment of the invention, a pair of aerosol liquid supply containers can be used, preferably in side by side relation. In this embodiment, one of the containers is mounted for actuation in response to raising of the control lever as described above, while the other is in stand-by condition as a reserve container. Indexing or register mechanism associated with the aforementioned rotary disk and actuated by a member responsive to the ball cage on the disk as the ball cage passes by it during each revolution of the disk counts the number of changes of liquid discharged from the first or active aerosol container. After a predetermined number of changes has been discharged from the first container, the indexing mechanism causes the aerosol container nozzle operating means to be shifted automatically from the first mentioned container to the reserve container. This insures a continuous supply of liquid spray at all times and well before servicing of the apparatus by replacement of emptied containers becomes necessary. If desired, a warning light or other suitable indicating means may be provided to become noticeable when switching from the first container to the reserve container has been effected.

The novel features of this invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, as well as additional objects and advantages thereof, will be more readily apparent from the following description, when read in con nection with the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1' is a front perspective view of a cabinet housing one form of liquid spray dispensing apparatus according to the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation of the cabinet with the door thereof open to reveal certain structural features of the invention as embodied in apparatus employing two aerosol containers,

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of the mechanism within the cabinet for controlling the release of charges of liquid spray from the respective aerosol containers,

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevation showing details of the rotary control disk and the ball track structure forming part of the mechanism of FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary elevation showing details of the register for counting the number of liquid charges released from theaerosol containers and also the mechanism for shifting, from one plunger to the other, the slide of the mechanism which actuates the aerosol nozzle actuating plungers,

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the plunger actuating mechanism of FIG. 5,

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view, partly in elevation and partly in section, showing the control lever for actuating the plunger actuating mechanism and also showing details of the mechanism for latching and unlatching this con trol lever,

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the ball track structure for metering the quantity of each liquid spray charge released from the respective aerosol containers,

FIG. 9 is an end view of the mechanism as seen from the left of FIG. 3, and

FIG. 10 is arear elevation of the manually operable coin controlled device of the apparatus showing especially the coupling arm which couples this device to the rotary control disk of the apparatus.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown, in FIGS. 1-3, a cabinet 1 for the spray dispensing apparatus, the cabinet having a front wall 3 and side walls 5 and 7. On the front wall is mounted a coin controlled device 9 having a manually rotatable operating knob 11 fixed to a shaft 13 which is released for rotation upon deposit of an appropriate coin in a coin receiving slot 15 of the device 9. This device may be of well known form readily available on the market. The, rear of the cabinet 1 may be closed by a hinged door 17 having a keeper 19 which may be latched by a latch bar 21 of a lock 23 on the side wall 5 under control'of a key 25.

Mounted within the cabinet 1, preferably in side by side relation, as by clamps 26, are a pair of aerosol containers 27 and 29 for the liquid to be dispensed, such as hair spray, toilet water, perfume, or the like. The containers 27 and 29 may be of standard form in which the liquid is maintained under pressure by an inert gas in well known manner. Each container has a valve controlled spray nozzle or outlet 31 which may be of conventional form, and to the orificeof which is connected a hollow coupling 33 carried by a valve plunger assembly 35. The two couplings 33 are connected in parallel relation to a conduit 37 in the assembly 35 which terminates in a single nipple. 39. Thus, the nipple 39 serves as a common output for both nozzles 31. The assembly 35 contains a pair of plungers 41, actuated by mechanism and in a manner presently to be described, for opening their respectively associated, normally closed nozzles by pressing up against the couplings 33 to effect discharge of a metered quantity of liquid spray from one or the other of the nozzles 31. Metering of the released charges of sprays is accomplished by mechanism also to be described presently.

Loosely mounted on a bracket 43 secured to the cabinet wall 5 externally of the cabinet for facile removal therefrom is a manually operable spray dispensing head 45. The head 45 has a normally closed, valve controlled spray nozzle 47 which may be similar to those of the aerosol containers 27, 29 and which can be opened by pressing thereon with the forefinger, as it well known. The nipple 39 is connected to the nozzle 47 by a fairly long, flexible hose or tube 49. of plastic. material which passes through the cabinet side wall 5. So long as the nozzle 47 remains closed, each charge of liquid spray released from one or the other of the containers 27 and 29 will pass through the nipple 39 and will become stored temporarilyin the tube 49 under pressure. When the nozzle 47 is opened thereafter, the stored charge will be releasd threthrough to the ambient. The flexible storage tube 49 is long enough to permit facile and varied manipulation of the spraying head relative to the cabinet 1 and to the body of the user when the head 45 is removed from the bracket 43. Thus, the user can direct the spray to his or her head from any desired direction and at any desired angle. Preferably, the flexible tube 49 is encased in a flexible, metal sheath to prevent unwarranted cutting or damage thereof.

Within the cabinet 1 is a mounting plate 51 to the rear face of which are secured a pair of spaced uprights 53. Each upright 53 has a rearwardly extending arm 55, the arms 55 being horizontally aligned and carrying a shaft 57. 'Pivotally mounted on the shaft 57 is a vertically tiltable plate 59 which carries a slidable plate 61. A pair of pins 63 on the plate 59 extend through slots 65 in the slidable plate 61 to limit movement of the latter on its supporting plate 59. In its extreme right hand position, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the slidable plate 61 is disposed under the plunger 41 associated with the container 27 but is clear of the other plunger 41; and in its extreme left hand position, it is disposed under plunger 41 associated with the container 29 but is clear of the plunger under the container 27.

The plates 59 and 61 normally occupy a lowered position such that the slidable plate 61 is out of engagement with the particular plunger under which it may be disposed. However, when the plate 59 is tilted upwardly by mechanism shortly to be described, the plate 61 will engage and push up one or the other of the plungers 41, 4-1 depending on whether it is in its extreme right hand position or whether it is in its extreme left hand position. In the former case, the plate 61 will actuate only the right hand plunger 41 (as viewed in FIG. 5) to open the nozzle 31 of only the container 27; and in the latter case, it will actuate the left hand plunger to open the nozzle of only the container 29. Shifting of the slidable plate to and from one position to the other is effected by mechanism also to be described shortly.

Pivotally mounted on the front face of the mounting plate 51 is a control lever 67 which controls tilting of the plate 59, the lever 67 being coupled to the plate 59 by a link 69. The lever 67 has a laterally rearwardly extending arm 71 which normally rests atop the plate 51 within a notch 73 at the upper edge thereof to limit the downward movement of the control lever. When this lever 67 is in its normal, lowered or rest position with its arm 71 resting on the plate 51, as shown in FIG. 3, it holds the tiltable plate 59 in the latters lower position through the link 69. The slidable plate 61 is then out of engagement with the particular plunger 41 under which it is disposed. However, when the lever 67 is raised somewhat, it causes the link 69 to tilt the plate 59 upwardly to thereby bring the plate 61 into engagement with, and to push up on, the cooperating plunger 41. Thus, the corresponding nozzle 31 is opened to release a charge of liquid spray into the storage tube 49.

The mounting plate 51 carries a shaft 75 on which is rotatably mounted a control disk 77 forwardly of the plate 51. Also rotatably mounted on the shaft 75, forwardly of the disk 77, is an arm 79 which can rotate .relative to the disk 77. However, a stiff coil spring 81 which has one end around a pin 83 on the arm 79 and the other around a pin 85 on the disk 77 ties the disk 77 and the arm 79 together so that they normally rotate together as a unit. Rotation is imparted to this unit by an arm 87 secured to the shaft 13 of the coin controlled device 9, the arm 87 being bifurcated to receive the pin 83 in the bifurcation thereof. Thus, when a proper coin is inserted in the coin slot 15 and the knob 11 of the coin controlled device is rotated clockwise manually, it causes the arm 79 and the disk 77 to rotate therewith as a unit.

The disk 77 carries a tubular ball retainer or cage 89 which is open at both ends and which extends forwardly of the disk 77 at its forward end but is substantially flush with the rear surface of the disk 77, as can be seen in FIG. 9. At its forward end, the cage 89 has a break or notch 91 in its periphery. The purpose of the notch 91 will be apparent shortly. The ball cage is so located on the disk 77 that, when the disk 77 is in its rest position (as in FIG. 3), the cage 89 is at a relatively low elevation at substantially the lowest part of the disk 77. Normally, the cage 89 holds a ball 93 therein, the ball being confined against rolling out of the cage by the front face of the plate 51 and a finger 95 which extends partly over the forward end of the cage.

The periphery of the disk 77 is circular with respect to its axis of rotation on the shaft 75 except for a notch or dip 97 which provides a shoulder 99 adjacent the arm 79. The outer end 79a of the arm 79 is formed on a gradually increasing radius from a corner 79b, which is at a smaller radius thanthat of the disk 77, to a corner 790 which is at a larger radius than that of the disk 77. Thus, the arm 79 protrudes beyond the periphery of the disk 77 from a point approximately midway along its end 79a to the corner 79b.

Pivotally mounted forwardly of the plate 51 on a stub shaft 100 carried by the plate 51 is a stop lever 101 having a rearwardly extending .pawl 103 which is constantly urged into engagement with the periphery of the disk 77 by a spring 105. The plate 51 is also formed with an opening 107 adjacent to its upper edge and along the path of movement of the cage 89, the opening 107 being large enough to receive the ball 93 and leading to the uppermost level of an inclined ball track 109 for a purpose presently to be set forth. When the knob 11 of the coin controlled device 9 is rotated clockwise (as Viewed in FIG. 1), its associated arm 87 causes the assembly of the arm 79, the spring 81 and the disc 77 to also rotate clockwise as a unit (as viewed in FIG. 3), and the periphery of the disk 77 rides along under the pawl 103 in engagement therewith. Just before the shoulder 99 reaches the pawl 103, the cage 89 reaches its highest elevation (as in FIG. 4) approximately diametrically opposite its lowermost elevation (as in FIG. 3). At this highest elevation, the rear end of the tubular ball cage 89 is aligned with the opening 107 in the plate 51. A wire spring 111 mounted on the plate 51 has an arm 113 forwardly of the disk'77 disposed along the path of movement of the forward end of the cage 89. As the cage 89 comes in behind the spring arm 113 during rotation of the disk 77 (prior to reaching its aforesaid highest elevation), the cage puts the arm 113 under load; and when the notch 91 reaches the arm 113, the arm 113 springs into the notch and bears against the ball 93 while still under load. Thus, when the cage 89 comes into alignment with the opening 107, the spring arm 113 forces the ball 93 out of the cage 89 and through the opening 107 onto the track 109.

Continued rotation of the disk 77 after the ball 93 is ejected from the cage 89 onto the track 109 soon brings the shoulder 99 of the disk 77 up against the pawl 103 which then holds the disk 77 temporarily against further rotation. However, since the shaft 13, the arm 87 and the pin 83 couple the knob 11 to the arm 79, continued rotation of the knob 11 will cause the arm 79 to continue its rotation relative to the disk 77, this being permitted by the spring 81 which then gradually increases in tension. When the end portion of the arm 79 which protrudes beyond the periphery of the disk 77 eventually comes up against the pawl 103, it cams the stop lever 101 away from the disk 77 and frees the disk 77 for further rotation. The disk 77 then catches up rapidly with the continuously moving arm 79 in response to the spring 81. In doing so, the ball cage 89 is caused to engage a roller 115 on the control lever 67 and force the lever 67 upwardly rather abruptly with a sort of snap action. The lever 67 thereby causes one or the other of the plungers 41 to be actuated as described above to release a charge of atomized spray from one or the other of the containers 27, 29 into the temporary storage tube 49. Rotation of the knob 11, the arm 87, and the assembly of the disk 77, its now empty cage 89, the arm 79 and the spring 81 continues through the remainder of a complete 360 cycle to restore these parts to their original, rest positions.

Rotatably mounted on the plate 51 and extending therethrough is a shaft 117. Secure-d to the shaft 117 forwardly of the plate 51 is a latching lever 119 which has a shoulder 121 and which terminates in a finger 123 above the shoulder 121. Secured to the shaft 117 rearwardly of the plate 51 is an arm 125. Since the latching lever 119 and the arm 125 are both secured to the shaft 117, this assembly rot-ates as a unit. A spring 127, anchored at one end to the plate 51 and secured at its other end to the arm 125, constantly urges this assembly clockwise (as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 7) to hold the latching lever 119 against the left, end of the control lever 67. When the lever 67 is in its lower position with its arm '71 resting on the plate 51, as in FIG. 3, the latching lever 119 bears against the control lever 67 just below the shoulder 121, as also shown in FIG. 3. Immediately upon the snapping of the control lever 67 upwardly by the cage 89 as described above, the spring 127 forces the latching lever 119 clockwise somewhat to bring its finger 123 up against the end of the control lever 67 and its shoulder 121 under the control lever. The shoulder 121 thus latches the control lever 67 in its raised position and holds the. lever 67 raised until a metered quantity of liquid spray, as determined by mechanism about to be described, has been released from one or the other of the containers 27, 29.

The metering of the respective charges of liquid spray released from the containers 27 and 29 is accomplished by the ball 93 and the track 109. The track 109 has an uppermost section 109a which is inclined downwardly to the right and terminates in a wall 10%. The arm 71 of the control lever 67 overlaps the track section 10911 and has an adjustable stop screw 129 thereon which extends down into the section 109a to act as a stop for the ball 93. When the ball reaches the track section 109a, it starts to roll down therealong but is almost immediately restrained from doing so by engagement with the lower end of the screw 129 (as shown by its dash line position in FIG. 3). The ball is then held stationary momentarily until the control lever 67 is raised as above described. Raising of the lever 67 removes the screw 129 from the path of the ball 93 so that the ball becomes free to continue rolling down the section 109a until it strikes the wall 10%.

At the wall 109b, the section 109a leads into a short, rearwardly downwardly inclined section 1090 which communicates with a rear section 109d that is inclined downwardly to the left (as viewed in FIG. 3). The rolling ball therefore continues down along the successive sections 1090 and 109d- The section 109d may be provided with a plurality of spaced, alternately oppositely directed bafiles 131 mounted on the opposed, longitudinal side walls of the section 109d in angular relation to these walls and disposed to provide a relatively long, serpentine path therealong, as shown by the arrows A. The bafi les may be either fixed to the side walls of the track section 109d, or they may be removably mounted thereon, if desired, so that the length of the serpentine path, A can be varied somewhat. In any event, the section 109d is terminated by an inclined end wall 109a which directs the ball 93 forwardly into a vertical track section 109 having a slot 133 in the left side thereof (as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 7). Thesection 109 communicates at the bottom with a short section 109g the floor 10912 of which is inclined downwardly to the right and also slightly downwardly in a forward direction (i.e., toward the plate51 so as to bias the ball toward the plate 51), the section 109g terminating in an end wall 109i. Adjacent to the wall 109i and in front of the section 109g, the plate 51 has an opening 135 similar to the opening 107 through which the ball finally rolls back into the cage 89. In its rest position, the bottom of the cage 89 is somewhat lower down than the opening 135 whereby, in re-entering the cage from the track section 109g, the ball must drop down a bit. Thus, it becomes confined within the cage again between the plate 51 and the finger 95.

Pivotally mounted on the rear surface of the plate 51 in spaced relation thereto is a lever 137 which has a forwardly extending finger 139 thereon atits upper end in position to engage the arm 125 which is coupled to the latching lever 119 as described above. At its lower end, the lever 137 terminates in a foot 141 below a notch 142. A spring 144 biases the lever 137 counterclockwise to normally maintain the finger 139 spaced from the arm 8 and to cause the foot 141 to extend through the slot 133 and into the track section 109, so as to dispose the foot in the path of the ball 93. This is permitted by the notch 142. As the ball 93 drops down through the section 109), it strikes the foot 141 and forces the lever 137 to turn clockwise to thus cause the finger 139 to engage the arm 125 and rotate the latter counterclockwise. This, of

course, causes the latching lever 119 to also rotate counterclockwise and therefore to beunlatched from the control lever 67. Hence, the lever 67 becomes free to drop down to its normal or rest position with its arm 71 resting on the plate 51 within the notch 73. Lowering of the control lever 67 permits the erstwhile raised plunger 41 topdrop down and thus shut off the fiow of liquid spray. The time interval during which the ball rolls down along the track from the moment it is released by the raised stop screw 129 until the ball strikes the foot 141 is the period of time that determines how long one or the other of the plungers 41 remains open. In this way, the quantity of each charge of liquid spray released from one or the other of the containers 27, 29 is metered. By varying the length of the serpentine path A, the aforementioned time interval can be varied, and hence the quantity .of each charge of liquid spray can be changed.

The mechanism thus far described can be used with either a single aerosol container or with a pair of containers, as illustrated, one being first connected as a sup- 3 ply container while the other stands by as a reserve container, and then shifting to, the other one, when the first one nears being empty. As shown in the drawings, the container 27 is connected as the first supply container, and the container 29 is the reserve one. To effect automatic shifting from the container 27 to the container 29 after a predetermined number of charges has been released from the container 27, there is pivotally mounted on the front surface ofthe plate 51 a pawl actuating lever 143 (see FIGS. 3 and 5) having a cam head 143a which is normally maintained adjacent to the forwardly protruding part ofthe cage 89 in the path thereof by a spring 145. Pivotally mounted on the. lever 143 is a pawl 147. A spring 149 connected between the lever 143 and the lower end of the pawl 147 constantly urges the upper end of this pawl into engagement with the teeth of a register ratchet wheel 151 which is secured to a rotary shaft 153 on the plate 51. Each time the disk 77 starts rotating, the cage 89 engages the cam head 143a and rotates the lever 143 counterclockwise a distance such that the pawl 147 will cause the ratchet wheel 151 to be advanced one tooth. Thus, the ratchet wheel is, in effect, a counter that counts the number of charges of liquid released from the container 27. The ratchet wheel 151 may be provided with a predetermined number of teeth (say, for example, one hundred teeth) so that, after a complete revolution of the ratchet wheel, it is known that that number of charges of liquid spray has been released from the container 27. A second pawl 155, pivotally mounted on the plate 51 and also constantly urged into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 151 by a spring 157 prevents backward rotation of the ratchet wheel 151 and therefore retains the ratchet wheel in advanced position at each advance thereof.

Secured to the ratchet wheel 151 for step-by-step rotation therewith is a earn 159 having a periphery of gradually increasing radius going counterclockwise as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 5 from a low point 159a to a high point 15% to provide an abrupt shoulder or drop 1590 from the point 159]) to the point 159a. Pivotally mounted on the plate 51 is a lever 161 having a forwardly extending lug 163 which rides on the periphery of the cam 159. A

link 165 is pivotally carried by the lever 161, and a spring 167 connectedbetween the lower end of the link 165 and the plate 51 constantly tends to pull the link 165 and the lever 161 downwardly. This downward movement is limited by engagement of the free end of the lever 161 with a stop pin 169 on the plate 51.

At its upper end, the link 165 has a pin 171 for cooperation with a pair of opposed hooks 173 and 175 of a toggle device 177 mounted on a slide plate actuating lever 179 which is pivotally mounted on the main plate 51 by a pivot pin 181 for limited swinging movement between a pair of stop pins 182 on the plate 51. The lever 179 extends up through a notch 183 in the slidable plate 61 (see FIG. 6) for moving the slidable plate from one to the other of its positions under one or the other of the plungers 41 as described heretofore. For this purpose, the lever 179 is formed with a substantially square opening 185 that terminates in a downwardly extending slot 187. The toggle 177 carries a roller 189 which is received in the opening 185 and a pin 191 which is received in the slot 187 and acts as a pivot for the toggle device. Between the hooks 173 and 175, the toggle device 177 is formed with an inverted V-cam having right and left inclined cam edges 193 and 195, respectively. Also, the lower end of the slide plate actuating lever 179 is V-shaped to provide right and left cam edges 197 and 199, respectively. A lever 201 pivotally mounted on the main plate 51 carries a roller 203 which is urged against one or the other of the cam edges 197 and 199 by a spring 205 depending on the position of the lever 179. The spring 205, acting through the lever 201 and its roller 203, serves as an over-center spring to hold the slide actuating lever 179 in one or the other of its two positions.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the roller 203, in engagement with the cam edge 197, is holding the lever 179 in its extreme clockwise position to maintain the slidable plate 61 under the plunger 41 of the initial supply container 27 and removed from the plunger 41 of the standby container 29. At the same time, the spring 167, pulling down on the link 165, is holding the pin 171 within the hook 173 to cock the toggle clockwise about its pin 191, and to maintain the roller 189 against the right side of the opening 185. As the ratchet wheel 151 and the cam 159 rotate clockwise in response to the pawl 147, the cam 159 gradually raises the lever 161 and the link 165, and the pin 171 gradually rides up along the cam edge 193 of the toggle 177. By the time the prescribed number of charges has been released from the container 27, the lug or follower 163 is at the high point 15% of the cam 159, and the pin 171 is just over the peak or vertex of the cam edges 193 and 195 on the side of the edge 195. When the lug follower 163 passes the high point 15% and drops down along the shoulder 1590 to the low point 15901 of the cam 159, the pin 171 rides abruptly down along the cam edge 195 and into the hook 175 in response to the pull of the spring 167. This tilts the toggle 177 to its extreme counterclockwise position about its pivot pin 191 and causes the roller 189 to ride over along the top edge of the opening 185 and against the left side thereof. Since the pull of the link 165 within the hook 175 is now counterclockwise with respect to the roller 189 of the toggle device 177, a vector component force is setup on the pin 191 which also .acts in a .counterclockwise direction with respect to the pivot pin 181 to cause the slide actuating lever 179 to swing counterclock wise and thus shift the slidable plate to the left away from the plunger 41 of the container 27 and to a position under the plunger 41 of the container 29. The roller 203, now in engagement with the cam edge 199, retains the lever 179 in its counterclockwise position. Thereafter, when the control lever 67 is raised as described above, it will cause actuation of the latter plunger. In this way, a continuous supply of liquid spray is assured. If desired, the lever 179 can be made to actuate a switch for energizing a tell-tale lamp (not shown) on the front wall 3 of the cabinet to indicate that the container 27 is exhausted and that the container 29 is then active. By the time the container 29 is also nearing exhaustion, the apparatus will have been serviced to replace the empty containers. The slidable plate 61 may either be left under the plunger 41 of the new container 29, or it may be reset manually under the plunger of the new container 27, since the operation of the link and its pin 171 is the same along the cam edge as it is along the cam edge 193 but in the reverse direction, of course.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that there has been provided improved coin controlled apparatus for dispensing, in an efiicient manner, discrete, metered charges of atomized liquid sprays from stored aerosol containers. Although but a single embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it will undoubtedly be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other forms thereof, as well as variations in the form described herein, all coming Within the spirit of the present invention, are possible. For example, instead of having removable baffies 131 for varying the path length of the ball along the track and thus varying the quantities of charges dispensed, the entire track structure 109, or some part thereof, may be removably mounted on the plate 51 and replaced by track structure of different length. Other changes will, no doubt, readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. It is desired, therefore, that the foregoing shall be taken as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. Liquid spray dispensing apparatus comprising, in combination,

(1) an aerosol container in which said liquid is retained under pressure, said container having a valve controlled outlet including a passage which is normally maintained closed by said valve,

(2) a spraying head remote from said container, said spraying head having a manually operable, valve controlled outlet which also includes a passage, said last named valve also normally maintaining said last named passage closed,

(3) storage means coupling said container outlet to said head,

(4) control mechanism independent of said first named valve actuable to control release of said liquid from said container, and

(5) means responsive to actuation of said control mechanism for opening said first named valve for releasing a charge of said liquid from said container into said storage means While said second named valve remains closed whereby to store said charge temporarily in said storage means under pressure until said second named valve is opened to release said stored charge to the ambient.

2. Liquid spray dispensing apparatus according to claim 1 characterized by the addition of means associated with said container outlet valve opening means for metering the quantity of said charge released from said container to said storage means.

3. Liquid spray dispensing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said storage means comprises a flexible tube which permits a substantial range of ready movement of said spraying head relative to the user.

4. Liquid spray dispensing, apparatus according to claim 3 characterized by the addition of a cabinet, said aerosol container being housed in said cabinet, said spraying head being disposed externally of said cabinet, said flexible tube being coupled to said container outlet and extending out through a Wall of said cabinet to said spraying head, and means on said cabinet for removably mounting said spraying head thereon.

5. Liquid spray dispensing apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said control mechanism includes a manually o erable coin controlled device.

6. Liquid spray dispensing apparatus according to claim 5 characterized by the addition of means responsive to said coin controlled device for limiting the opening of said first named valve by said opening means to a given time interval whereby to 'meter the quantity of said 1 1 charge released from said container into said storage tube.

7. Liquid spray dispensing apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said control mechanism includes (1) a manually operable coin controlled device, (2) a rotary member coupled to said device and rotatable thereby upon operation of said device, and (3) means responsive to rotation of said rotary member for actuating said first named valve opening means. 8. Liquid spray dispensing apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said control mechanism includes (1) a manually operable coin controlled device, (2) a rotary member coupled to said device and rotatable thereby upon operation of said device, (3) plunger means associated with said container outlet for opening said first named valve, and (4) a pivoted control lever associated with said rotary member for actuating said plunger means to open said first named valve, said lever normally occupying a rest position wherein it is inefiective to cause said plunger means to open said first named valve,

said lever being responsive to rotation of said rotary member to be moved thereby to a second position wherein said lever causes said plunger means to open said first named valve to thereby release said charge from said container into said storage tube.

9. Liquid spray dispensing apparatus according to claim 8 with the addition of means for limiting the time interval during which said control lever remains in its said second position whereby to meter the quantity of said liquid released from said container into said storage tube.

10. Liquid spray dispensing apparatus according to claim 8 with the addition of means for latching said control lever in its said second position whereby to maintain said first named valve open so long as said lever remains in said second position.

11. Liquid spray dispensing apparatus according to claim 8 with the addition of (1) means for latching said control lever in its said second position whereby to maintain said first named valve open so long as said lever remains in said second position, and

' (2) means for unlatching said latching means from said lever after a predetermined time interval to permit said lever to return to its rest position and thereby render said plunger means no longer effective to hold said first named valve open whereby to meter the quantity of said liquid released from said container into said storage tube.

12. Liquid spray dispensing apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said rotary member comprises a disk having a ball cage and a ball in said cage, said disk normally occupying rest position wherein said cage is at a relatively low elevation, and characterized by the addition of an inclined track extending downwardly from a relatively high elevation to said low elevation, said disk being rotatable in response to operation of said coin controlled device to raise said cage to said high elevation for release of said ball onto said track, said ball then being adapted to roll down said track while said disk continues to rotate to bring said cage back to said low elevation for reception of said ball back therein, said cage being positioned on said disk to engage and raise said control lever to its said second position as said disk rotates to be latched in its said second position by said latching means, and said unlatching means having a part normally disposed in the path of said track for engagement by said ball as it nears said low elevation to thereby actuate said unlatching means to unlatch said latching means for restoring said control lever to its rest position and thus permit said plunger means to withdraw from said container.

13. Liquid spray dispensing ap aratus according to claim 12 wherein said track has thereaong a plurality of spaced, alternately oppositely directed baffles disposed to define a relatively long, serpentine path for said ball along said track.

14. Liquid spray dispensing apparatus comprising, in combination,

(1) a pair of aerosol containers in each of which said liquid is retained under pressure, said containers each having a normally closed first nozzle, both said nozzles having a common outlet,

(2) a spraying head remote from said containers having a manually operable, normally closed second nozzle,

(3) storage means cou ling said outlet to said head,

(4) means associated with said first nozzles for opening them to release a charge of said liquid from their respectively associated containers into said storage means while said second nozzle remains closed whereby to temporarily store the released charges in said storage means under pressure until said second nozzle is opened to release said stored charges to the ambient, and

(5) means for rendering said first nozzle opening means etiective to open said first nozzle of only one of said containers until a predetermined number of said charges have been released from said one container, and then rendering said opening means etiective to thereafter open said first nozzle of only the other of said containers.

15. Liquid spray dispensing apparatus according to claim 14 characterized by the addition of means associated with said means for opening said first nozzles for metering the quantity of liquid discharged therethrough from the respective containers thereof at each opening of said first nozzles.

16. Liquid spray dispensing apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said opening means comprises mechanism including a manually operable coin controlled device.

17. Liquid spray dispensing apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said opening means comprises mechanism including (1) a manually operable coin controlled device,

(2) a rotary member coupled to said device and rotatable thereby upon operation of said device,

(3) a first plunger associated within one of said aerosol containers for opening said first nozzle thereof, and a second plunger associated with the other of said aerosol containers for opening said first nozzle of said other container,

(4) lunger actuating means shiftable to and from a first position wherein it is adapted to engage only said first plunger for opening said first nozzle of only said one container and a second position wherein it is adapted to engage only said second plunger for opening said first nozzle of only said other com tainer,

(5) a pivoted control lever responsive to rotation of member for actuating said plunger actusaid rotary occupied by ating means regardless of the position said plunger actuating means, and (6) means for causing said plunger actuating means to be shifted from its said first position to its said second position after said plunger actuating means has caused said first plunger to open its associated said first nozzle a predetermined number of times to release said predetermined number of charges of said liquid from said one aerosol container into said storage means, said plunger actuating means being thereafter in position to actuate said second plunger. 18. Liquid spray dispensing apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said means for causing said plunger actuating means to be shifted comprises 1) register means responsive to rotation of said rotary member for counting the number of said charges released by said one container, and

(2) means associated with said register means for causing said plunger actuating means to be shifted from its said first position to its said second position at the completion of the count of said predetermined number.

19. Liquid spray dispensing apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said register means comprises 1) a ratchet wheel,

(2) a first pawl responsive to rotation of said rotary member for advancing said ratchet wheel one tooth for each revolution of said rotary member,

(3) a second pawl associated with said ratchet wheel for retaining said wheel in advanced position at each advance thereof,

(4) a cam member rotatable with said ratchet wheel,

and

(5) means responsive to said cam member for shifting said plunger actuating means from its said first position to its said second position after said cam has been rotated through a predetermined angle.

20. Liquid spray dispensing apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said means responsive to said cam member includes a toggle device for retaining said plunger actuating means in either one of its said first and second positions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,001,541 9/1961 St. Clair 2226 X 3,079,044 2/1963 Flynn 222-2 3,208,574 9/1965 Anson 2222 X 3,292,821 12/1966 Cowley 194-3 X 3,310,144 3/1967 Sandholf 222-58 X STANLEY H. TOLLBERG, Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,348,735 October 24, 1967 Harry H. Haltzman et a1.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 3, lines 35 and 37, for "changes", each occurrence,

read charges column 4, line 59, for "threthrough" read therethrough column 11, line 54, for "rest" read a rest lines 72 and 73, for "containere" read container outlet. line 75, for "thereaong" read therealong column 12, line 45, for "within" read with Signed and sealed this 5th day of November 1968.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER Edward M. Fletcher, Ir.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer 

1. LIQUID SPRAY DISPENSING APPARATUS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, (1), AN AEROSOL CONTAINER IN WHICH SAID LIQUID IS RETAINED UNDER PRESSURE, SAID CONTAINER HAVING A VALVE CONTROLLED OUTLET INCLUDING A PASSAGE WHICH IS NORMALLY MAINTAINED CLOSED BY SAID VALVE, (2) A SPRAYING HEAD REMOTE FROM SAID CONTAINER, SAID SPRAYING HEAD HAVING A MANUALLY OPERABLE, VALVE CONTROLLED OUTLET WHICH ALSO INCLUDES A PASSAGE, SAID LAST NAMED VALVE ALSO NORMALLY MAINTAINING SAID LAST NAMED PASSAGE CLOSED, (3) STORAGE MEANS COUPLING SAID CONTAINER OUTLET TO SAID HEAD, (4) CONTROL MECHANISM INDEPENDENT OF SAID FIRST NAMED VALVE ACTUABLE TO CONTROL RELEASE OF SAID LIQUID FROM SAID CONTAINER, AND (5) MEANS RESPONSIVE TO ACTUATION OF SAID CONTROL MECHANISM FOR OPENING SAID FIRST NAMED VALVE FOR RELEASING A CHARGE OF SAID LIQUID FROM SAID CONTAINER INTO SAID STORAGE MEANS WHILE SAID SECOND NAMED VALVE REMAINS CLOSED WHEREBY TO STORE SAID CHARGE TEMPORARILY IN SAID STORAGE MEANS UNDER PRESSURE UNTIL SAID SECOND NAMED VALVE IS OPENED TO RELEASE SAID STORED CHARGE TO THE AMBIENT. 